


dyad

by pastel_wendigo



Category: Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Genderqueer Character, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Torture, Medical Trauma, Mild Gore, Other, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), References to Drugs, will probably add tags as i go along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2019-08-06 02:12:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16379450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastel_wendigo/pseuds/pastel_wendigo
Summary: Dropout. Criminal. General misfit. A mistake - one of many - gets you entangled (literally and figuratively) in an underground experiment.





	1. hard knocks

**Author's Note:**

> EYYYY ok it's been a hot minute since i've written anything but venom broke my writer's block like a mf so im ready to get back at my usual self-indulgent bullshit

If the alarm ringing throughout the facility hadn't woken you up first, your cellmate's snoring would've beaten it.

You shot a drowsy glare at the person across from you. You could barely see their short, messy hair peeking above their shoulder as their chest gently rose and fell. How they were hardly roused by the shrill noise was a mystery to you. You had only spent a little over a year in the facility and yet you couldn't see yourself getting used to it. The snoring, you mean.

With a stifled groan, you pushed yourself off the stiff mattress, shivering slightly from the touch of the cold floor. Looking over at your cellmate, they had only turned over from their previous position on the bed. Sometimes you wondered if they truly did have the sleeping habits of a log or simply wanted to spite the prison guards. Either way it was something you begrudgingly respected.

~~

You didn't have the chance to finish your usual morning routine before you were escorted out of your cell.

You had been in the middle of your morning stretches (which you had only taken up at least a month prior since being assigned more physical labor rather than kitchen duty) when you were met with a hard tap on the shoulder by one of the guards. You recognized them, as you had tried building some type of friendly rapport with as many that were willing. It's not like you had anything better to do.

They hadn't given you time to get your bearings before they took your arm, dragging you out of your room without a word. You only caught a glimpse of your cellmate but even they seemed about as confused as you were.

"Good morning to you, too." you slurred, the words still feeling heavy and sticky in your mouth.

The guard didn't respond.

You weren't even ten feet away from your cell when a second guard joined you. They were as stoic as ever, not even bothering to look down at you. You huffed. This was probably some prison drama that someone accused you of. It wouldn't be the first time. Asking questions was about as pointless as resisting. You could only trudge along, uncomfortably trying to reposition yourself in their firm grasp as they led you out of the main building.

~~

You could understand the handcuffs - they were pretty much a given - but two guards felt like a bit of an overkill. You weren't  _rabid_ , but if whoever requested to meet you was so important then you weren't about to make any snappy remarks.

Through the glass you could see a sharply dressed man with an even sharper expression sitting before you with his hands folded neatly on his lap. Behind him stood a tall, bald man in what looked like a SWAT uniform. Overkill was an understatement. You took a seat ("took" might've been too generous for the guard that all but pushed you forward). The near amiable look on his face that he wore made your skin crawl. You've met people like him before, and not once did you come close to getting along with them. Something about him was familiar but you couldn't place where you could've seen him. He didn't seem like the kind of man one would forget about so easily. He leaned forward, picking up the phone from its kiosk.

"So I assume you're -"

You expected to hear one of the many aliases you had adopted over time. It wasn't an odd occurrence, it had become almost as commonplace as forging a new identity every few years (or whenever the situation called for it). You don't think you could recall the last time you heard your name - your  _real_  name - without just a little difficulty. That is, until it was uttered by the stranger before you with perfect pronunciation.

You must have been making a face of some sort, as you heard the man's raspy chuckle through the glass.

"Don't worry, we don't know each other." There was something about his smile that eased your discomfort. You didn't like it.

"I'm Carlton Drake. I'm with the Life Foundation and I was hoping you'd assist me in a - a  _project_  of sorts. I had a look at your files and you seem to be a prime candidate for our-"

Ah. You  _had_  heard of him. At this point, who hadn't? He was the world's latest business magnate claiming to hold the cure to cancer and putting people on Mars. He was also currently the subject of several ethical dilemmas. Lovely.

"Yeah, think you got the wrong guinea pig, Mr. Drake."

He blinked, shifting in his seat as he subtly licked his lips.

"I'm not sure you're understanding the importance of your role here,"

"Oh I'm pretty sure I get it. I mean, why else would you be coming to a prison for free volunteers?"

He shut his eyes for a second longer than normal.

"I could get you out of here. All I need is your consent." He said softly, fingers rhythmically tapping on the counter.

"I can just say the word and," he punctuated with a snap. "Easy."

You rolled your eyes. If your line of work taught you anything, it was to never trust a rich man.

"If you read my files you'd know I only have less than a year here so thanks, but no thanks."

Something changed in his demeanor, something  _sharp_  in eyes that caused your skin to prickle with unease. You could tell he wanted to scowl at you just from the crease in brow that started to form. But he didn't. Instead he turned his body to the side - gaze still fixed on you. In one quick motion he waved to the man at his side. And with a curt nod from the stone-faced guard, the two behind you obediently left the room. Drake leaned forward. At this distance, you could see that his grip on the phone tightened. Your heartbeat quickened.

"Let's be realistic for a moment. Did you really think you'd have a better chance out of here? Without help, no less? Aggravated assault, petty theft, resisting arrest - and that's just at the top of the list, I might add. Should I go on?"

Your jaw clenched at the sound of his ambiguously sarcastic tone.

"The way I see it you have two options. You rot in here," he tapped his finger against the glass. "Or you rot out there. Your choice."

You focused on curling and uncurling your fist, not wanting to look at what you knew was a face that screamed 'gotcha!' Ignoring the thinly veiled threat, you sighed, limply throwing your free hand up.

"Fine."

 _It's not like I have a choice_ , you muttered under your breath.

He laced his fingers together, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smile.

"Fantastic!" he said, clapping his hands together as though the previous conversation hadn't just taken place.

Drake nodded at the man by his side, and on cue called in the two guards that waited patiently just behind the door.

"We'll be looking forward to working with you."


	2. contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things get weird  
> drake is pretentious (but what else is new)

"You'll be staying here with our other volunteers for now."

You struggled to keep up with the dark-haired woman ahead of you, barely being given the chance to observe your surroundings. It was obvious that you were in a lab somewhere beneath the Life Foundation's main building, but other than numerous people donning lab coats scurrying throughout the room, you had no idea what to expect. They had already stripped you of what little clothes you were able to keep, favoring to put you in a mildly uncomfortable hospital gown. Now you were trailing after a particularly talkative doctor, though your attention wavered after the first five minutes.

The woman (Dr. Skirth, you remembered her brief introduction from earlier) lead you to a room separate from the larger lab. It was almost maze-like, the numerous glass cells acting like a hall of mirrors. You could see that some of the cells were already occupied by three - maybe four - people, their forms roused by your sudden entrance. Your attention lingered on them until Skirth stopped a few feet in front of you, almost causing you to crash into her had you not been careful. She whipped around to face you, the hair that was held in a loose bun nearly falling out of place. A small, joking smile appeared on her face, hand facetiously shielding it from outside view.

"It doesn't give you much  _privacy_  but it'll be your home for the next few months."

You gave a halfhearted snort.

She cleared her throat, scanning the card attached to the lanyard that hung around her neck and quickly punching in numbers into the cell's door.

"We'll be coming back for you in the next half hour to take some initial diagnostics so go ahead and get comfortable."

You nodded, taking a seat on the surprisingly soft bed. She seemed nice.

The cage-like "room" in front of you is more than a little simple - a clear, glass box with a notably frame-less mattress on the side farthest from you. It felt...sterile. Even your old cell back in the ward came with more than this. But it was clean and not meant to be shared, which was a definite improvement. But you couldn't help flinching internally at the sound of hearing the door lock itself shut. Somehow, it felt as though you had gotten yourself trapped again.

 _Take a chill pill, won't you? You're not there anymore. He doesn't know._ you thought to yourself.

He doesn't know where you are. And that's enough for you.

~~

When Dr. Skirth said half an hour, you didn't think they would be so on the dot. You didn't do much - though there wasn't much for you to do to begin with besides watch your fellow recruits be taken out for examinations.

You were on the verge of falling asleep when Skirth returned. She looked a little more disheveled from when you last saw her, this time flanked by three other official-looking scientists (at least, you assumed they were from the stark white coats they wore). There was something unnerving in how silent they were. Looking around, there was probably one other person in the cells that seemed to catch the vibe. They said nothing as they brought you out, leading you once again through the labyrinth of a facility that was the Life Foundation.

So far you hadn't passed by anything telling you what exactly you'd be doing here. The lab seemed disappointingly generic. They hadn't even bothered to answer your questions on the trip to the lab, but you didn't expect them to anyway. You just wanted out, and if this was your ticket to a place where nothing - no one - could find you, then so be it.

The entourage of scientists had taken you to yet another overwhelmingly sterile room. The fluorescent lighting was almost blinding but you could tell that you were in some sort of examination room a doctor would have, only much larger. It had the usual - a long padded table, a weight scale, and a height chart. But to one side was a treadmill and an MRI scanner. But that wasn't what set you on edge. One wall was a huge mirror - a one-way mirror no doubt. If you hadn't already felt like a lab rat, you did now.

Behind you you could hear chatter from the group of researchers, Dr. Skirth among them. You couldn't hear what they were saying, but the woman quickly parted from her colleagues, gripping the clipboard in her hands as she entered the room.

"Alright so before we get started on the tests I have to ask you a few questions. Nothing serious but answer truthfully, please." She said, setting the clipboard down on a nearby table in favor for a thin stack of papers. "We just wanna get a good idea on where you are in terms of health."

"Sounds good." you nodded.

"Are you currently taking any drugs? If yes, for how long?" she paused for a second before quickly adding a "Prescription also count, by the way."

You had been sober for over a year, (not entirely by choice, but it was for the best) and it was one of the few things you prided yourself on.

The rest of the questions went about the same route. You didn't really do much during your time in your previous confinement. It was the first time you genuinely tried behaving, and this time around you were glad it actually paid off.

After putting away the papers, Skirth handed you a long band, instructing you to place it just below your chest.

"Don't worry, it's just heart monitor."

In the back of your mind, you thanked yourself for making it a point to use the prison gym when you had the time. The tests weren't particularly grueling, they were fairly easy - if not basic. After measuring your height and weight, the real tests were only comprised of jumping jacks, push-ups, and about 20 minutes on the treadmill. It was a test you couldn't mess up, yet the thought of scrutinizing scientists (and although this was a small possibility, Drake) being on the other side of that mirror distracted you. Thankfully, not distracting enough to make you slip, only enough to make you all the more determined to do your most. That entire time Skirth had seated herself in front of a monitor, taking brief glances at the monitor in front of her while scribbling down whatever data appeared on her clipboard. About an hour had passed before she declared the "test" over. You were tired, but only just a little out of breath, gladly taking the bottle of water Skirth handed you.

"You did good! Definitely better than the ones we've gotten so far."

You couldn't tell if it was a thinly veiled compliment or not, so you opted for a shy smile.

"There's showers in the room over there so if you wanna clean yourself up, be my guest."

You gladly took the offer. You could feel the thin layer of sweat sticking to your skin, and you hated it. The water wasn't particularly warm, but it wasn't freezing either. You didn't care anyway. You just focused on the feeling of water running down your exhausted body. The extent of your exhaustion hadn't hit you until then, but the feeling of your tense muscles finally being able to relax was more than welcome.

~~

Before you knew it, a week had already passed.

You hadn't done much, you and the other subjects were subjected to daily exercises (though, only you and maybe one other person were handling it without complaints) and psychological examinations (those went about as well as you expected). You still didn't know your real purpose as a test subject, and asking the others had gotten you nowhere. They knew about as much as you did. Not even Dr. Skirth was willing to give you a hint, and she was by far the most easygoing researcher in the lab. You didn't want to think much of it, but the situation rubbed you the wrong way.

You were about to exit the communal showers when you heard muffled chatter from outside the room. You hoped the sound of the water running would mask your eavesdropping but at the same time your ears strained to make out what they were saying. You recognized Dr. Skirth - she didn't sound too happy, as she was trying to talk over the voice of a man. It wasn't until she quieted down that you realized the voice belonged to Carlton Drake.

"It's been six months  _at least_ , I think it's about time we introduce the symbiotes to the subjects."

"And I'm telling you they aren't ready! You saw how they reacted to the -"

"An unfortunate setback but that's all it was."

A minute passed and the gap in conversation would've felt far heavier had it not been for the cascade of water.

"We've had this talk before, Dora. You know my reasons."

You were really starting to hate him.

You hadn't heard anything after that, but you didn't exit the showers until you were sure you heard the door to the other room click shut.

Skirth was sitting at one of the tables, running a hand through loose strands of hair and staring at a corner of the room with an empty gaze.

"You okay?"

She flinched, quickly turning around to face you.

"Y-Yeah, yeah..uh, just wait for me outside, okay?"

You couldn't sleep that night.

It was rare for you to get so worked up so easily but it was nagging at your brain for the rest of the day. There were about a million questions popping up in your mind as you tried to get just a minute of rest. Why was Drake so insistent on borderline harassing people in the name of this "experiment" of his? But more importantly, what the fuck is a symbiote? A new drug or something equally questionable? With a company like the Life Foundation, you couldn't begin to fathom what they were planning.

You sighed, turning over once more in your bed, staring at the blacklights that lit up the room in a dim, blue glow.

~~

The next week isn't any better. If anything, it felt worse.

The physical tests continued on as normal, only this time you noticed there would be..exceptions. The first one they took was a tall, thin man with long stringy hair. You hadn't spoken to him much in your time in the cells, but you and the others had formed a strange solidarity in knowing you were each subjected to these secretive circumstances. When he didn't return one day, everyone noticed, and none of you were in the least bit comforted no matter what excuses the scientists gave you.

You thought it couldn't get any worse until it kept happening. By the end of the week they had replaced half of the old subjects with new ones, one being a particularly feisty woman with long black hair that nearly always fought back the men that would take her away for her tests.

You dreaded the day your turn would come - it was inevitable. It was only a matter of time before they carted you off to who-knows-where to supposedly dispose of you somewhere. And when that time came, you were quiet, calmly trailing after Dr. Skirth and two other men that accompanied her. She said nothing, but she held the same solemn - almost fearful - expression you had seen her with a few days ago. It made your stomach turn.

You entered a different room from the main lab you had grown used to.

It was fairly large, still keeping with the theme of smaller rooms made from clear glass. Monitors and tanks littered the space, though you couldn't see what they held. You would've been a little more than nervous upon being led to one of the rooms and left there by yourself. But the fact that Carlton Drake once again appeared in the room along with a larger group of scientists made your pulse quicken. You didn't trust him at all, and after the past week's events you didn't have a reason to. You scowled, leaning against something that looked like a small, horizontal tank. Drake approached the glass wall you faced. He smiled, though it seemed genuine, the smile wasn't reflected in the look in his eyes.

"So we meet again!"  _God_  he sounded like a comic book villain.

You shrugged. "So you gonna tell me what I'm  _really_  doing here now?"

Drake chuckled. "Patience is a virtue."

You drummed your fingers against the tank impatiently. The tank tapped back.

You shot away from it, swallowing a yelp as you tried to recover from the surprise. Drake still held that amused expression that was quickly becoming annoying. Your head twisted to the glass, frantically hoping  _someone_  could tell you what you were trapped in a room with. This couldn't be that thing he mentioned earlier, was it? You gathered your composure as best you could but you couldn't hide the nervousness growing in your gut.

"Wh-What is that?"

"That," he smiled "is the future."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyyy i finished this quicker than i thought i would !!  
> reminder that my tumblr is @ takenbytheweeds so you can hmu me there if you want


	3. 48 hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ouch

"Cut the bullshit, Drake, what is it." your voice wavered for only a split second, but you were sure he caught it anyway.

Drake stepped forward, right up to where you had backed yourself up against, placing his hands behind his back. His expression was as placid as a lake, the grin he tried to hide standing out like a ripple. As soon as it was clear to you that whatever it was inside the tank, you heard him speak into the mic connected to the cell.

"Now that," he said, pointing beyond your shoulder. "Is classified. For now, at least."

Before you had a chance to respond, he brought one hand forward, placing it on the glass separating you. In a softer voice, he spoke.

"You've shown the most promise. Why else would you still be here? We need you."

Now that you were sure that the creature in the room with you wouldn't spring out from the tank, you loosened your tense muscles, leaning against the glass.

"Yeah, uh, still not sure what you're trying to get at here."

He opened his mouth only to close it shortly after, lips pressing into a thin line.

"Or is that classified too?"

The hand he held against the glass closed into a loose fist, tapping against it in subdued frustration as he turned away.

"Frankly, you're  _attitude_  leaves much to be desired." he paused, turning back to look at you directly. "But I can't deny that the results you've yielded are benefiting us greatly."

He walked up to you again. Despite being in an enclosed room with a still unknown  _thing_ , you could feel yourself growing bored.

"I know your past hasn't been kind to you. The  _world_  hasn't been kind to you. You look around and see what? A society that has abandoned you."

You bit the inside of your cheek, your mind conflicted by thoughts of his gold-dusted words and the facts you knew to be true.

"But I won't, not when we're on the brink of something revolutionary. This?" his gaze wandered over your shoulder. Yours followed.

"This can change everything. You might believe it's too late for you, but not to me. You can still be the hero of this story. You just have to trust me."

You didn't. Not in the slightest. But for a moment you almost believed him. That moment cost you everything. For one long second, you looked at him. Searching for something that you knew wasn't there. You sighed.

"What do you want me to do?"

He gestured to the tank behind you. You tried to calm the knots forming in your gut. Slowly, you stepped closer to the tank. 

One foot ready to spring yourself backward in case it decided to pull an Alien, you hovered cautiously above the container. The amorphous creature within shifted like a wave, your eyes struggling to focus on just one area. Against your better judgement, you leaned over, placing your hand against the glass. The creature - or whatever it was - copied your movement. At least that's what you assumed when a slender tendril pressed against the glass right under your hand. It was mesmerizing to watch it slink around its container.

It was almost beautiful.

"Open it."

The sudden sound of his voice broke you from whatever trance you found yourself in. Your head whipped around to face the group of scientists gathered around Drake. Your hand retreated from the surface of the tank, shooting backward as the glass opened with a hiss.

It happened all at once.

Whatever was contained within it peeked out, searching for  _something_  until its nonexistent stare settled on you. You felt your pulse quicken as your head swiveled between the creature in the room with you and the group of scientists that huddled around each other. They each shared an odd, empty expression that made your breath catch in your throat. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Dr. Skirth, one hand gripping the scarf wrapped around her neck with a look of worry hidden by a layer of professionalism.

With your back against the glass, you could do nothing but helplessly watch what looked like sentient slime cautiously crawl toward you at a speed you hadn't anticipated. Despite what your senses told you, banging on the glass and shouting for help wouldn't have saved you even if you tried. Instead, you closed your eyes, subconsciously trying to shrink yourself in the corner of the cell you had trapped yourself in.

You tried to pretend you were fine until you felt it touch you. You recoiled, glancing over at the scientists (who were slowly beginning to look as unnerved as you did), a nervous laughter spilling from your lips. You wanted to disappear further into your body, hands pressing and curling against the glass, trying to get away from the foreign feeling of whatever this was crawling up your body -  _into_  your body. You didn't want to look at it, but the higher it climbed the more your morbid curiosity forced your eyes open. You didn't want to give the people outside the satisfaction of hearing you scream, but a low whine leaked from your throat when you were met with the nonexistent face of the iridescent - almost oily -  _thing_. You screwed your mouth shut the closer the tip of the thing's "face" got to yours, and you almost felt bile reach your mouth when the creature poked your lips in a motion almost too innocent for the situation.

Quickly, it retreated, speeding down your body and almost seeming to phase through the hospital gown you wore and onto your skin.

"Bonding process initiated." you heard from outside.

You didn't have the slightest idea of what it was doing, but it felt like having the wind knocked out of your lungs. Your legs gave out from under you, arms scrambling to catch you as you gulped heaving breaths. You could no longer see it, but you could feel it's presence  _somewhere_. You could feel it settle in your chest, in the space behind your ribs, squeezing your heart and pressing against your eyeballs. It was exploring every crevice, weaving through bones and veins and viscera and you couldn't  _breathe_. Your eyes were frozen in a thousand-yard stare of pure horror as the creature violated every inch of your body, finding somewhere comfortable to settle. All while you were suffocating. Drowning.

"Vitals holding steady."

You hadn't realized you had been lying on the floor for 20 minutes with an unblinking stare - only moving due to the occasional convulsion - until a pair of doctors decided to enter the cell and forcibly sat you upright, asking questions you didn't know how to answer even if you could. As they dragged you away to who-knows-where, your gaze - full of contempt - was caught in Drake's cold, distant one. There was a cruel fascination in his eyes, one that made your blood boil. The corner of his mouth twitched upright in a smile.

~~

You don't remember ever being placed back in a cell, yet you woke up all too suddenly - drenched in a cold sweat - in the corner of a room similar to the one you had grown accustomed to but not quite the same. Instead of an entirely glass cage you were in something much more private. It was slightly unnerving, but you didn't mind it in the slightest.

You shivered, wiping the sweat that gathered on your brow with the back of your hand as you propped yourself up from the floor. The floor. Why were you on the... _oh_.

Looking around you, the cot that was definitely bolted to floor lay on its side, the small cracks in the ground proving its former placement. The thin blanket that was usually neatly spread across the cot was crumpled into a ball on the far side of the cell. It didn't take you long to notice the smudges and hairline fractures that were scattered across the cell's glass door. In silent astonishment, you stood up only to crumple back down the ground. Your whole body felt beyond sore, and the memory of the day's previous events flashed in your mind. That was all real.

You felt a panic building within you, trying desperately to calm your breathing as you attempted to stand once more. This time, you leaned against one of the walls, bending down to turn over the cot when you felt a stabbing pain in your temples. Your face twisted with discomfort as you sat on the cot, holding your head in your hands.

Your stomach tightened with a dull pain, you were hungry.  _So_  hungry. You keeled over where you sat, jaw tense and arms clenching your sides as your forehead reached your knees. Your vision blurred just slightly the more you thought about how much you were in pain, and your eyes fluttered closed.

Everything was silent save for your breathing. It would have been peaceful if you hadn't heard a voice break through the silence. You jolted up, hands gripping the cot beneath you.

"U-Um..who -"

You weren't able to finish your thought before you heard the same voice once more, this time speaking more clearly. It was your name. Whatever you were hearing said your name. Eyes wide, you yelped, nearly jumping out of your skin.

It didn't sound like it was coming from anywhere outside your cell. Or inside for that matter. It was like the voice you heard inside your head only much clearer and much, much deeper.

"What was..that?" you whimpered to yourself.

**Not what. Who**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaa this update came way later than i intended but i was so preoccupied with other things i had to set this back a little :'0 again, thank u sm for reading this !! i know i dont really have a set schedule anyway but i'll try not to be too late with the next one


	4. ad hominem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOOO boy sorry for taking an age and a day to get this chapter out ;v; first i couldn't decide on how i wanted to write this chapter in particular AND i had to rework the outline to fit in stuff i wanted to add but it should be all good now !! and again, thank you for continuing to read

**CLASSIFIED REPORT (1/?)** **MEMORANDUM**

 **TO:**  DRAKE, CARLTON; Life Foundation Head CEO

 **FROM:**  SKIRTH, DORA; Life Foundation Board of Biochemistry

 **SUBJECT:**  [NAME REDACTED]

1\. It is [TIME REDACTED, DATE REDACTED]. As per your request I will be regularly documenting [NAME REDACTED] during their bonding process with SUBJECT #6.

2\. It has been exactly 1 HOUR since [NAME REDACTED] came into contact with the symbiote. Subject remains unresponsive to cognitive stimulus. Physical stimulus, however, yields a regular response (does not appreciate being handled). Appears to be in an 'autopilot' state. Vitals are currently normal.

3\. It has been 5 hours since first contact. We have managed to relocate [NAME REDACTED] to their new holding cell. They did not seem too happy about it but they have since settled down. They seem to be unaware of their surroundings at the current time of writing this.

4\. P.S. - Requesting to send in 3 more armed security. For monitoring purposes.

**CLASSIFIED REPORT (7/?) MEMORANDUM**

**TO:**  DRAKE, CARLTON; Life Foundation Head CEO

 **FROM:**  SKIRTH, DORA; Life Foundation Board of Biochemistry

 **SUBJECT:**  [NAME REDACTED]

1\. It has been 10 hours since first contact between [NAME REDACTED] and SUBJECT #6. [NAME REDACTED] is having minor convulsions at random intervals. Vitals are experiencing spikes before regulating at the same rate. Internal body temperature seems to be experiencing similar symptoms to a high grade fever. At the current moment I do not recommend forced separation.

2\. It is [TIME REDACTED, DATE REDACTED]. It has been 20 hours since first contact. Vitals have stabilized. [NAME REDACTED] seems to be in a catatonic state but brain scans show an abnormal amount of cognitive activity. It is my professional opinion to assume the symbiote is attempting to connect. Forced separation is not advised.

3\. It is [TIME REDACTED, DATE REDACTED]. It has been 30 hours since first contact. [NAME REDACTED] is mobile but not fully conscious. They are not capable of holding conversations at the current moment but have been observed to repeat the word "hungry". We have attempted to give [NAME REDACTED] some form of sustenance since contact - bland foods - but have barely touched it or ignored it entirely. During one attempt they assaulted a researcher (who wanted me to inform you of their resignation but we can talk in length about that later). They appear to be very eager to leave the cell. Do not advise any form of intervention. I believe they feel threatened by security. Requesting to have them exit the room and guard its entrance instead.

4\. P.S. - Requesting repair for cell #2.

**CLASSIFIED REPORT (10/?) MEMORANDUM**

**TO:**  DRAKE, CARLTON; Life Foundation Head CEO

 **FROM:**  SKIRTH, DORA; Life Foundation Board of Biochemistry

 **SUBJECT:**  [NAME REDACTED]

1\. It is [TIME REDACTED, DATE REDACTED]. 48 hours have passed since first contact. [NAME REDACTED] seems to be regaining full consciousness. Vitals are stabilizing. Brain activity is still at a high.

2\. [NAME REDACTED] is awake. They appear to be talking to something. I believe they have established some form of communication with SUBJECT #6. For the time being, forced separation is no longer viable.

~~

You jumped, heart pounding in your head.

That voice. You couldn't be the only one hearing it, right? There had to be a mic somewhere in the room, there's no other way you could possibly explain it. It definitely wasn't  _yours_. It was too deep, too.. _rich_ , for lack of a better term. Desperately, but trying not to panic, you looked around the room like a lost child, searching for the source of the voice.

**I'm right here**

" _Jesus_ -" you flinched. There it was again. And again, it was starting to sound less like something over an intercom and more like something ringing in your ears. "Alright, where are you, huh? You wanna tell me what's going on?"

**Look**

By some reason you couldn't explain, you felt drawn to the glass door behind you. Like a thought was placed directly into your mind. You didn't question it then. Instead you obediently shuffled to the door, peering into the glass at your own reflection. Only it wasn't your reflection that was staring back at you. You jumped backward, a short yell escaping you.

The creature reflected in the glass looked far from human, like a poor interpretation of what a human looked like. It got the basics down - a face, complete with eyes and a mouth. But in its grin were needle-sharp teeth that could rip a person to shreds, and just behind its cage-like teeth was a long, drooling tongue. Its eyes were unlike anything you had ever seen. Massive, glazed over and watery, with an almost milky consistency stared back at you intently. Eagerly. You couldn't tell what exactly it was staring at - as the thing had no visible irises - but you felt its gaze on you. Your body was wracked with chills, a low nervous laughter creeping from your lips.

"Uh-um, I know you like keeping me in the dark but this - this is  _really_  not funny,"  _Starting to creep me out_ , you muttered.

**I can hear you**

" _Please_  stop doing that."

You stood in the center of the room, facing the only camera you could see situated in one corner of the cell's ceiling. You cupped your hands around your mouth.

"Hey! I know you can probably hear me! I have no fucking clue what you did to me back there but I'm really not liking this situation right now!"

**You're being very unreasonable**

"Oh  _I'm_  unreasonable?!"

**...Yes**

You let out a long exhale. "Can you -" your hands were shaking. You balled them into fists at your side. "Whatever you are, can you  _not_  right now?"

Before you could blink you heard a strange sound coming from behind you, like something slithering through water that wasn't there. In a matter of seconds a spiral of thick, black tendrils emerged from what you assumed was your back. They coalesced - almost elegantly - into a serpentine mass, jaws and teeth and eyes and a face manifesting out of nowhere, forming a figure that was constantly shifting in place like an iridescent oil spill. It was unearthly. The process only took place in the span of a few seconds but watching it appear before you seemed to slow time down.

The creature stared at you, looking you up and down like you were a meal. It's already wide smile widened even more, eyes narrowing into long, white slits. A low, quiet purring noise emanated from the creature, although you couldn't imagine it contained any sort of internal viscera capable of producing it. The creature brought itself closer to you, leaving only about a foot or less of personal space.

" **Whatever _this_  is..is stuck with you.**" its forehead poked the bridge of your nose. You flinched. " **For the time being.** "

You didn't like the sound of that, so you pushed it to the back of your mind for later. "And....what are you, exactly?"

There was a rumble in its throat, tongue running along the edge of its teeth. " **I am Venom,** " it said as it undulated around you, almost examining you.

"Uh, hey? I guess? I'm-" Venom interrupted you mid-sentence, clearly saying your name with a growl. The sound of it on its tongue sent goosebumps down your arms.

"How the  _fuck_  do you know that?"

Venom's face reappeared on the opposite side of your head. You had long since tried keeping eye contact with it, not like you would even want to in the first place.

" **I _am_  in your head, after all.**"

"Y-You're..what?"

" **Please keep up.** "

"No no no no no I heard you the first time I'm just uh," you shook your hands, your nervousness showing a little too much for your tastes. "Processing it."

Sheepishly, you stretched your arm out in front of you, and Venom remained as still as it possibly could. You poked the shifting mass' side with a single finger, as though it would swallow you up at any moment. Upon contact Venom recoiled, eyes thinning out into what almost looked like a scowl, and retreated back into your body. Your whole form shook from the movement. Venom was real,  _too_  real. You slowly stumbled backward onto the cot, trying to control your breathing.

**I did mean it literally, you know**

"R-Right, I just uh, just trying to make sure." your headache was pounding again. And you were hungry.

**We need to feed**

"Yeah, no sh - wait. We?" You straightened up in your seat. "Wait wait wait wait wait. When did this turn into a 'we' situation?"

**The moment we bonded**

Venom said it so straightforwardly that you had to laugh, flopping your tired body back on the mattress. "That didn't feel like 'bonding' so much as it did a physical assault."

Venom was quiet, and for a moment you thought you could hear it thinking.

**I need you. And you need me**

You rolled over onto your side, tucking one arm beneath your head. Its words left an uncomfortable, desperate ringing in the back of your skull. You sighed, closing your eyes. "Sure."

~~

 **CLASSIFIED REPORT (12/?)** **MEMORANDUM**

 **TO:**  DRAKE, CARLTON; Life Foundation Head CEO

 **FROM:**  SKIRTH, DORA; Life Foundation Board of Biochemistry

 **SUBJECT:**  [NAME REDACTED]

1\. It is [TIME REDACTED, DATE REDACTED]. I've just finished reviewing the surveillance tapes from last night. The connection humans are able to establish with symbiotes is incredible. We still have much to learn from these two, and in my professional opinion I believe we should move forward with the physical and mental examinations.

2\. I made it a point to visit [NAME REDACTED]. There was no sign of the symbiote as of yet but it does seem that they have established a solid form of communication. I have not asked them to relay what it is saying to them at the current moment. It feels too invasive given the current circumstances, so that should come later.

3\. P.S. - Requesting to deliver state-issued meal packets to [NAME REDACTED]'s cell.

~~

There is never a dull moment at the Life Foundation laboratories.

You hadn't realized how early you were awakened by your  _passenger_  until a man in a white lab coat shoved a tray of lukewarm food in plastic packages through a slit in your cell door. The dully colored mush disguised as food did little to sooth your hunger. In fact, it only worsened it. Not even a minute had passed before your stomach painfully expelled it from your body.

Venom wasn't all too pleased either.

Then came the testing. Wherever you were escorted to you were followed by dozens of eyes all focused on you. In your mind only a day had passed between your first meeting with Venom and now, but in reality you were missing more time than you were comfortable dealing with. And in that time, word had inevitably gotten around. As if the four guards enclosed around you as you walked didn't draw enough attention - along with the tight cuffs shackled around your wrists and ankles - you might as well have worn a neon sign that read DANGER.

But you didn't feel dangerous. Venom on the other hand, Venom was something you couldn't wrap your mind around.

**I don't like this**

"Yeah, me neither pal." You muttered under your breath. Almost immediately the tall, bald man walking ahead of you sharply turned his head, hissing a  _shh_. You scowled.

**I could break these as easily as snapping his ribs**

You rolled your eyes. "Then why don't you."

Suddenly, you heard the familiar tapping of heels as Dr. Skirth trodded down the hallway in a slow jog, clutching a thin tablet in her arms. She looked tired.

"Sorry! Running a little late today." she said with a weak laugh.

You furrowed your brow.

**Aww, are you worried about her?**

You said nothing, an annoyed grumble sounding in your throat. Skirth turned her head. "Excuse me?" she said softly.

"N-Nothing, it's-"

"Is it..." she mouthed 'the symbiote' even though you were sure everyone in the building knew what she was talking about.

**Are you ignoring me now?**

You nodded. A wave of relief washed over her face as she dug a lanyard out of her coat pocket, holding the card attached to it up to a scanner.

**You can't keep this up for long**

"Perfect! We've modified our tests to include your sample so no more simple exercises." The door slid open. "For now, at least."

Inside the room was roughly the same setup as your previous "tests". Only this time there were devices you didn't recognized placed neatly on a table. And leaning on one of the desks was Carlton Drake himself. Your body tensed.

**Who the hell is this guy?**

Drake stood, arms outstretched in a way too amicable for his demeanor. "I've been waiting to see you!"

Skirth looked at you briefly, a distressed expression flashing across her face. "A-Ah, yes I forgot to inform you. Mr. Drake will be overseeing your testing from now on." She turned away from you to stare at him. "He's very invested in your progress." He smiled.

The exchange hadn't registered with you until you heard Venom's baritone voice clear the silence. For you, at least.

**Weird**

That managed to crack the slightest of smiles on your face.  _Yeah, weird_ , you thought.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? This is a massive breakthrough for us and I'd love to see it through the end." He moved to a chair that sat in front of a large monitor. "But please, continue. I'm not here." he said with almost a joking lilt in his voice. You weren't sure if the annoyance you felt came from you or Venom, but you weren't entirely opposed to either. Skirth cleared her throat.

"Shall we get started?" she asked. You shrugged.

"Ready when you are."

**I'm not**

Your jaw tightened.

"Alright, now I don't want you to overexert yourself so for the time being I think we'll just stick to something simple. Sound g-"

Drake's voice cut through the room. "Dr. Skirth? Don't mind my input but I believe our mission statement says otherwise, correct? Pushing limits?"

She could only stand there in stunned silence. "Wh..I was-"

"And I  _believe_  that is exactly how we should be carrying out these tests."

Dr. Skirth gulped, looking over at you with a sorry expression.

**You're just gonna take this?**

"Well, I can't really do  _anything_  right now, can I?" you whispered, trying desperately not to draw any more attention to yourself than you should.

Skirth pushed her glasses farther up her nose with her knuckle. "Alright, um..Okay we'll just proceed with a simple neural test. That shouldn't be too hard on you."

Soon enough she sat you down, beginning to place small nodes with long wires along the sides of your head and your forehead. Calmly walking over to one of the monitors that Drake wasn't hovering over, you heard the clicking of a keyboard and the soft sound of whatever program she was using start up. Suddenly there was a ringing in your ears. Not loud enough to bother you, but enough to make your eye involuntarily twitch. Venom rumbled.

"Tell me if it gets too much, okay?"

You nodded. Drake watched intently, getting up from his seat and crossing his arms as he walked closer to Skirth. She held one of the devices on the table in her hand, this one small and rectangular, a finger gingerly hovering above a dial that sat among various other smaller buttons. She rotated it just slightly enough that you barely noticed it even moved. And with it, the ringing in your ears got louder.

 **What are they doing?** Venom asked, a confused and almost angry tone in its voice.

Your hands clenched into fists. Skirth's eyes flickered from yours to Drake's. With a nod he urged her forward. Reluctantly, she turned the dial just slightly more.

The ringing was already near deafening, and you could feel Venom's anxiety growing by the second. It unnerved you - how clearly you could find the distinction between your emotions and Venom's in that moment. You rolled your neck, a weak attempt to relieve the pain from the shrill noise.

"I..I-I think we should-" before she could finish her thought, Drake abruptly snatched the remote from her shaking hands. There was a small moment of alarm on her face before she reigned her emotions in.

"Doctor, if I'm not mistaken the purpose of these examinations is to find this organism's breaking point and I don't think we'll get anywhere being so  _soft_."

In one second, you felt terrified. In the other, you felt searing pain.

Your body twisted in its seat - almost keeling over - as your nails dug into its arms, scratching the plastic. Every muscle in your body was tense, as though a jolt of electricity was being sent through your nerves. Your mouth was wrought open by the scream that forced itself out. In the back of your mind, Venom roared a terrible, agonizing roar. You couldn't hear much of anything for that second - or however long it was - only vaguely recognizing what sounded like a scuffle happening behind you.

Then there was silence.

You were shaking, violent shudders moving your body as you heaved in air like you just learned to breathe. You felt numb, and you could swear your eardrums were obliterated by the ringing they subjected you to. Venom was silent. You waded between unconsciousness and consciousness, eyes barely staying open only to see the subdued bickering between Skirth and Drake.

"I thought you wanted to make progress, this is our first successful bond and you almost -"

"Are you questioning my methods? Dora?"

".....You could've killed them."

Against your own will, your exhaustion won.

~~

You woke up curled in a fetal position in your cell.

Startled, you bunched yourself up against the wall, slowly trying to steady your breathing. You were beyond sore, more so than the time you woke up after your bonding. You rubbed your face, groaning in discomfort.

"Are you alright?"

**.......Me?**

"Yeah, you. You didn't," you cleared your scratchy throat. "You didn't sound so good back there."

**I am fine**

"That's..good."

You leaned your head against the wall behind you, screwing your eyes shut. This place quickly was climbing your list of shit situations, and you weren't too pleased with it. You weren't pleased with yourself, if you had to be honest. It was getting to the point where you might not have minded being back with -

**Who is he?**

" _Christ_ , Venom, what'd I say about warnings?!"

**That doesn't answer my question.**

You pinched the bridge of your nose. "He's not any of your business."

**Your business is my business. That's sort of how this works**

"Yeah, well, it'll be a while before you unlock  _that_  little story, buddy."

For a while you sat there, staring at nothing in particular. Trying to ignore the pounding in your temples and the ache in your stomach. Something nagged at the back of your mind, however. Something you had thought briefly about before but not long enough to actually acknowledge it. You couldn't ignore it any longer.

"Hey, Venom." They didn't respond, but you felt their anticipation waiting to hear what you had to say.

"I.." Thinking your statement over in your head, it sounded so juvenile. "I wanna get us out of here."

**Us? I was under the assumption you didn't like the concept of 'us'**

You scoffed. "There isn't. Not really keen on staying your ride for the rest of my life. No hard feelings."

**...I see. If that is what you wish**

There was something forming in the pit of your stomach. Pity? Guilt? No, you never felt guilty. Not if you had anything to say about it.

There was a moment of silence in both of your minds before you felt Venom bubble up once again.

**You are scared**

Your face felt warm. "W-Well,  _yeah_  but - I?" you sighed. You hoped Venom wouldn't ask for the details and just trust you at face value. "I've been in this situation before. I've gotten  _out_  of this situation before. If you help me, I think I can do it again."

Venom paused. Silently mulling over your offer. He rumbled.

**Wow. You aren't lying**

"Of course I'm not why would - wait wh - okay never mind. Just..do you trust me?"

**.....Yes. I will help you**

You let out a breath. " _Thank you_ , seriously, as soon as we get out of here you can find your new host and I can..figure something out."

**Wait. There is something I have to do first**

Of course. It's not like you had much to lose anyway. "Oh..kay?"

**The other Klyntar. My friends. If I escape, we all do. That is my deal**

"Kl - Klin-tar?"

**My species. Do we have a deal?**

"Well, yeah. Yeah, it's a deal."

A deep, gravely laugh reverberated throughout your body.

**This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship**

You wheezed a soft chuckle, a small, lopsided smile cracking along your face. "Hey, don't get too ahead of yourself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as per usual you can find me on tumblr @ takenbytheweeds and wattpad @ theshapeofmyers


	5. parasite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning for mentions of vomiting and graphic gore (all towards the end of the chapter)  
> that aside, im r e a l l y sorry for the late update, i was struck with a really bad writer's block AND caught a cold so this month wasn't exactly my most productive, hopefully i'll be able to get the next chapter out soon but in the meantime thank you for reading!! ;v;

That day, you woke up with a gut-wrenching stomach ache.

You were drenched in a cold sweat, shaking and unable to focus on the smallest of things. If it weren't for the sound of Venom's voice snapping you back into reality, you weren't sure if you could have hoped to pull yourself back into lucidity all on your own. Your teeth clenched, eyes screwed shut as a jolt of dull pain struck your abdomen like a hammer as you tried to sit upright.

"Wh-What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck -" a mantra of hoarse whispers spilled from your lips as you lifted the thin white scrub shirt, exposing your bare stomach and the deep, flowering bruises that sprouted across your skin.

 **I could fix you** , Venom's voice, terribly strained, reverberated down your spine.

"Then why don't you?" you groaned, trying adjust your position to something more comfortable but ultimately finding none.

**Hungry**

You ran your hands down your face. "Yeah, I'm aware of that but whatever they feed us you just spit back out like a toddler so I don't think -"

**Wrong**

" _I'm_  wrong? Were you even listening to a word I said?"

**Wrong food**

"That's very descriptive, thank you."

**Phenethylamine**

"....You're gonna have to repeat that one, pal."

Venom sighed.  **A chemical. It's what sustains us. And _you_  do not produce a sufficient amount**

"And that meeeeaans..?"

**Hungry**

You pounded your head against the wall you leaned against. "Any idea where we could find some? I'm pretty sure these guys won't mind some constructive criticism in terms of their uh..dietary choices."

**It is produced in the cerebral cortex of complex organisms, such as yourself**

"So like......you eat brains?"

**If you want to put it simply**

"Oh my  _god_  are you gonna eat my- "

**_No_ **

".......Okay, good."

You sat in silence for a long time, staring at the ceiling of your cell contemplating the implications of Venom's words. And what it meant for you. You couldn't tell how much time had passed, but your mind raced with too many thoughts for you to get any form of respite. You exhaled.

"Is that why I have -" you limply gestured to the angry-looking bruises along your middle. "These? Because you're, um, hungry?"

Venom said nothing for a few minutes. You almost thought they were ignoring you if you hadn't been able to feel them thinking of what to say. Something about that made you nervous.

**I am sorry**

"..For what?"

**The bruises. They are my fault, I cannot help it**

"How are they your fault? I thought you said - wait. Am I okay? Are.. _we_  okay?"

Venom didn't respond after that. It didn't do much to soothe your anxiety, it felt more like a sinking guilt that weighed heavy on your shoulders. Not wanting to move any further, you slumped flat on your bed and closed your eyes, pinching the bridge of your nose.

"Listen..I can't help you fix this if you don't tell me how."

Venom's presence stirred. You could feel their apprehension, a touch of fear. It unnerved you to the point where you could feel your skin buzzing with tension. You shifted, propping yourself up on your elbows.

"Venom?"

**Hm**

"How can I help you?"

You felt a prickling, ticklish chill run down the base of your neck and down your spine. You realized it was the sound of Venom laughing.

~~

The sound of sliding metal and glass woke you from your shallow nap. It must've been 12:00 pm already. With Venom's help, you quickly shuffled to the door, fingers hungrily accepting the tray of food. Out of the corner of your eye you saw the look of disgust that washed over the worker's face as you dug into bland scraps as though you were a starved animal. As you scowled at him, he walked away, shaking his head.

Almost as soon as you started, you stopped, already feeling a wave of nausea wash over you. Your hands shook, and while you were trying to brace yourself for what was undoubtedly coming next, your legs gave out from under you.

The last thing you heard before your stomach emptied itself was Venom muttering 'sorry' in the back of your head.

As expected, you heard the man outside your cell run towards you. You heaved the last of what little you managed to eat, your body trembling as you struggled not to crumple to the floor. The tears at the edge of your eyes threatened to spill over but you refused to let them fall, blinking them away. You wiped your mouth, your breathing sharp and heavy.

**Turn around**

You heard the man punch in the code to your cell. Your head turned to the side, but not of its own accord.

**Be ready**

It happened within a matter of seconds.

The man took a hold of your arm, roughly pulling you to your feet. You hissed, feeling your already strained bruises throb with the sudden movement.

"Can't go one day without making a mess, can't 'ya?"

**Do you trust me?**

_Do it_ , you thought.

Your face was wrenched in a snarl, teeth bared. Your hand gripped the man's, nails digging into his shirt right through his skin. With a pull, you brought him to the floor. The strength that possessed you in that moment was intoxicating,  _freeing_. You brought him to your eye level where you sat crouched on the floor, hands clenched around his shirt collar. He was screaming something incomprehensible.

"Real sorry about this."

In that instant you felt something slink over your face, gliding past hair and flesh and encasing it in something so viscous it could've been oil. It was cold and warm and for a moment you thought you couldn't be able to breathe until the substance itself poured into your mouth. It fit so perfectly, filled the spaces around and between your eyes and nostrils and teeth like the air around you. It stopped just below your chin, and with your new eyes and mouth you grinned. The man in your grasp screamed even louder, this time trying to pound at your body with all the strength he possessed. But you were stronger.

Two tendrils shot out from your back, restraining his wrists without even lifting a finger. The tendrils obeyed the will of what could've only been Venom as they wrenched the man's arms behind his body with a sickening snap. This time,  _he_  was beginning to cry.

You weren't able to hear his last words before your mouth stretched beyond its limits, the bones of your jaw rearranging itself in order to fit the array of knife-sharp teeth that now adorned your maw. Strings of drool dripped from your teeth onto the man's face and what felt like a thick, prehensile tongue wrapped itself around his head, pulling your teeth down with it. As soon as you felt your mouth scrape against his flesh, popping through the thin layer of skin that separated your ravenous body from the prize within, you sighed in content.

His screams - however brief - were muffled, their vibrations hitting the back of your throat. You closed your jaws with a loud snap, and just like that you released the man's body. The sound of it hitting the floor of your cell was drowned out by your chewing, gnawing through skin, bone, and blood vessels. It took you seconds to puncture the skull, finally  _finally_  tasting the sweet gray matter on your tongue. You swallowed it with a loud gulp, licking your teeth and saliva as the phenethylamine pumped through your system.

You hadn't felt this good in years.

Before you could revel in the feeling for long, you could feel your second face - Venom's face - retreat back into your body. You were in a daze, incapable of truly comprehending just what you had done. You were shaking, but you slowly felt your strength returning. Your head whipped around to see that the door to your cell had remained open. You felt your legs pick themselves off the ground, clumsily making you run towards the exit.

"Wh - Wait, fuck- "

You stumbled out into the hallway. You were out of your cell.  _You were out of your cell._

Before you had the chance to celebrate, the blaring sound of an alarm rang overhead. Your ears rang from its intensity, teeth gritting as you tried to tune it out. Already you heard the quickening pace of heavy footsteps approaching you.

" _Shit_  what now!?" you whispered hoarsely.

**_Run_ **


	6. jailbreak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: there's graphic gore in this chapter sorry if that squicks you out

"Run where, genius?! They've probably got us surrounded by n-"

Before you could even think to finish your thought, your legs were pulled into motion. You yelped, the foreign sensation jolting through your nerves like a shot of electricity. It felt like you were on autopilot, the way you swerved out the door faster than your mind could process.

"H-Hey - Hey!"

Suddenly, your legs stopped mid-sprint, skidding a foot or two across the floor and nearly knocking you down had it not been for the black tendrils sprouting from your chest regaining your balance. Though you barely registered running, you were already out of breath.

"Do you even know where you're going?"

**Do you?**

"I..good point.

Your voice was barely audible over the blaring alarm that reminded you of your situation. A ringing filled your ears the longer it went on, and you strained to hear any sign of the guards' heavy footsteps.

**They will find us soon. We have to hide**

"Uh,  _no_ , we need to leave."

Before you could take a step, your feet planted themselves firmly on the ground. It was like your muscles were being pulled tightly together. You couldn't move even if you wanted to.

**Remember our deal**

Your eyes shut, sighing harshly. Your lips pressed together in a line as you looked around. The faint sound of footsteps gradually coming closer reached your ears, and you relented.

"Right. Just make it quick, yeah?"

Immediately, Venom took control of your body once more. You weren't sure if you'd ever get used to the feeling, but that was a conversation to be had at another time. If there would even be another time. As you ran past numerous doors and halls that you hardly recognized, you felt yourself becoming dizzy again. It wasn't long until you had to stop, a group of armed guards quickly passing you by as you hid inside an empty office. Your lungs burned as you spoke.

"How do you know this is the right way?" you whispered.

**Your memories are not as bad as they seem**

"Am I supposed to know what that means?"

**I searched your mind for a layout of the building. It's not that hard**

You paused, putting your hands on your hips and scowling at empty space with your mouth slightly agape.

"You -" you rubbed your eyes. "We're definitely having a personal boundaries talk later."

Peeking out the door and finding nothing, you sprinted. Only a few minutes passed when you finally skid to a stop in front of a large, clear door. There was a keypad next to the handle.

"Great, now what?"

**You aren't the most faithful, are you?**

Venom's voice almost had a teasing tone. You crossed your arms. "Guess you could -" As you spoke, a long inky tendril sprouted from your back and slinked over your shoulder, microtendrils splitting from itself and into the cracks of the keypad. With a single tug, the panel popped off and the door limply swung open. "- say that."

**After you**

Cautiously looking around the dimly lit room, you huffed. "Show off."

The room was familiar, but hazy in your mind. You knew you had been there before, but something about the cell-like rooms with square glass walls gave you uncomfortable chills.

**Where we bonded**

Something flashed in your mind, a memory. A dark, viscous  _thing_  attaching itself to you, worming its way through every cell in your body like the world's most thorough virus - it was almost dreamlike. Folding your arms close to your body, you tried to control the shivering that shook your body.

"Well I wouldn't put it in those words exactly."

Venom was silent.

"So what are you planning after you find your friends? World domination?" you said with a chuckle.

**That was the idea**

You clapped your hands together. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that!"

As you walked through the room, quickly glancing into the cells for any sign of the other symbiotes, a thick undulating stream emerged from your shoulder. In the blink of an eye, teeth and eyes emerged from the flesh void, coming together to form a face. No matter how much it scared you, you couldn't bring yourself to look away.

"So do you all look the same or..?"

" **I suppose. Without a host we are essentially formless.** "

"Cool," your voice trailed off as you passed a cell.

Inside was a single tank, almost identical to the one Venom had been contained in. You poked Venom, finding that their "skin" was far warmer and a lot less slimy than you expected. You nodded your head towards the tank. Venom surged towards it, pulling you after them so quickly you nearly tripped over your feet. You grit your teeth.

Venom hovered above the tank, frantically searching its contents for any sort of movement.

"Are they -?"

A tendril burst from your chest, banging on the glass until it shattered, spilling its shards on the floor.

" _Easy_ , you're gonna get us caught!"

Venom didn't respond. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of your stomach. Cautiously, you stepped forward, peering over Venom's nonexistent shoulder. Your face fell.

"Oh."

Inside was a mass similar to Venom, but unlike their iridescent black form, its colors were an eye-catching yellow mottled with maroon spots, almost like a puddle of lava. It would've been a sight to behold, beautiful even, had it rolled in the steady waves that Venom always did. But since opening the tank it hadn't moved an inch.

"Shit, I'm sorry."

Venom was unreadable as their gaze left the body, their attention suddenly catching on another tank in the next cell over. Venom pulled you along.

"Hey -"

They smashed the tank open, revealing another lifeless symbiote, this one a deep forest green. As Venom moved from cell to cell, with you having no choice but to follow, you were met with two more. They were both in the same state as the other had been, and Venom hadn't spoken a word.

Though you found that you could feel what they felt. Initially mistaking them for your own, you felt a vague emptiness, a tightening in your chest. You felt their loss, a crushing wave of loneliness. A tear welled up in the corner of your eye but you brushed it away with the flick of your thumb.

"H-Hey, um." Without a word, Venom retreated back into your body. "I'm so,  _so_  sorry but we have to go."

**There are ones that are missing**

"We'll get caught any second, if they're not here maybe -"

Doors flew open as a flurry of boots against tile and men shouting filled the room.

"Shit."

"Drake, we found 'em." a voice spoke into a radio.

The bald man that always seemed to be attached to Drake's hip stepped forward, gun in hand. You groaned. Taking a step forward, you raised your arms in the air.

"Listen, we -"

Without a hint of a flinch the man pulled the trigger, hitting you square in the shoulder. You let out a pained cry as you hit the floor, your back colliding with the floor with a loud thud. A breathless gasp left your lips as you writhed on the floor. Your saw your wound through half-closed eyes that struggled to stay open with each passing second.

**Not much of a conversationalist**

" _Shut up_." you harshly whispered under your breath.

The man leaned down on one knee, the smug look on his face doing nothing but make your blood boil. He smiled.

"You didn't  _actually_  think you were gonna get out of here, right? I mean, come on." he gestured to the half a dozen men that surrounded you.

Suddenly grabbing you by the collar of your shirt, he lifted you to your feet, your shoulder stinging as blood oozed from the wound. You hissed, jaw clenching in pain. Your hands feebly wrapped around his arm as your feet struggled to hold your weight.

"Been a pain in the ass for a while now but you caused quite a scene, y'know." he chided. "Boss is gonna be pretty upset."

Glaring at him with all your strength, you mustered a kick to his stomach. He growled, loosening his grip enough that you dropped to your knees. Your vision blurred as you briefly glanced down at your shoulder, a trail of blood that showed no sign of stopping running down your shirt. Your body trembled.

**Be still. I can help you**

"Please," you whispered.

You felt Venom shift beneath your clothes in a similar fashion to the stunt they pulled earlier, but this was different. You felt them leak from your skin, seamlessly weaving through muscle and bone, pooling on the surface of your skin like oil. Their tendrils reached your wound and you flinched at the sudden contact, but in a matter of seconds your pain was soothed. You could almost feel the smallest of their foreign threads entangle themselves into your flesh, stitching you back together faster than you could think. You opened your eyes. As you felt Venom snake down your body, you realized you had grown - were  _still_  growing - nearly a foot taller than you already were. Your eyes widened.

For a brief moment you saw a dawning look of horror on the man before you, and it was then that you looked down at yourself. Your clothes had completely disappeared,  _you_  had disappeared, engulfed in what could only have been Venom themself. What was once small hands were now inky black claws attached to arms far more toned than yours had been. Suddenly you felt Venom spread themselves up your neck - your face - like gravity-defying tears, covering your hair and eventually your entire head.

For half a second you could see nothing.

In the blink of an eye, you could see more than you ever have in your life.

The man motioned to the others behind him, his horrified expression devolving into confused anger. Immediately you were assaulted with what could only have been more bullets. You flinched, instinctively curling into yourself only to find that every hit felt muffled, almost as though you were behind a suit of armor. If that armor was a sentient alien creature.

A wide, toothy grin split across your face.

"W-What the hell -"

Without hesitation you stepped toward the man, the hail of gunfire around you doing nothing to stop you. He could only shout like a cornered animal when you trapped him within one clawed grasp, your hand easily wrapping around his arm. His eyes were as wide as twin full moons.

With a single smooth jerk, the hand that held the gun snapped backward, and a sharp cry of agony echoed through the room. Shouts from the other guards became lost in the adrenaline-fueled haze of your mind.

**Hungry**

You licked your teeth, drool dripping down to the floor.

_Do it_

The man screamed, but the sound was cut short when your jaws closed around his face, teeth sinking into flesh. It took almost no effort to bite further, bone cracking and splintering into shards as his death rattle echoed down your throat, blood coating the lining of your jaws and splattering to the once pristine tiles below. You pulled away, teeth chewing at brain and cartilage. You dropped the body to the floor, blood still oozing from what remained from his face as he twitched slightly, suddenly going eerily still. You turned around.

Some guards trembled, one was vomiting in the back of the room, most where already reloading and preparing to fire. You rolled your shoulders, sighing.

" **I've already had my fill,** " you spoke, voice much lower than you were used to. " **But I'm not opposed to seconds.** "

The assault continued but you felt none of it. It was almost as though you were watching the scene unfold from a far-away screen. The rush of power you felt before in your cell paled in comparison to whatever this was. This was something entirely new, and you weren't completely against it.

With a jump like a coiled spring, you bounded across the room, knocking over guards as you made your way to the exit. It was all a blur, the halls blending into a tunnel of sterile white as you suddenly found yourself in a dimly lit parking lot. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, fresh air hit your face - albeit a face that didn't exactly resemble your own. You exhaled, closing your eyes for a brief moment of satisfaction before sprinting across the parking lot and into a tunnel.

_So, what now?_

Before Venom could respond, the sound of a revving car engine echoed from behind you. It was getting closer.

" **No time to talk, just trust me.** "

You felt a heart,  _your_  heart, thundering in your chest. Something in the back of your mind made you hesitate, but you were faced with no other choice. You surrendered to Venom's control, and almost instantly you were whisked away on powerful legs.

The car behind you quickly matched your speed, but as soon as you reached the end of the tunnel you turned sharply, running across a grassy slope on all fours. Tires skid as the car came to a stop, the sound of doors slamming shut followed by shouting men filling the late night silence.

You stopped mid-sprint, suddenly faced with a high barbed wire fence. Venom was unfazed, quickly scaling the metal rungs and leaping across the other side and landing on both feet. Before you could even think of catching your breath, the fence's gate opened, at least a dozen men pouring into the forested area you had found your self in.

_These guys don't quit, huh?_

**Lovely. More snacks**

_I don't think so, big guy. I think two is more than enough for me in one day_

**_Fine_. If you insist**

Before the men could reach you, Venom frantically ran deeper into the forest. You weren't given the chance to question them before you found yourself scaling a tree so fast it was as if you were made of air.

Finally, Venom retreated from your flesh, only covering your arms and legs. You released a breath you hadn't known you were holding, gasping at the rush of brisk air that filled your lungs unfiltered by alien flesh. Sheepishly glancing beneath you, you saw the glow of flashlights run towards your direction only to quickly pass you by. You would've laughed if only it wouldn't give away your location.

You were sure for how long, but for a while you simply waited, eventually finding no sign of flashlights - or anything, really - in the forest. You exhaled, closing your eyes and letting the breeze hit your face. You never thought you'd be this glad to feel something as simple hit your skin. The moment was shattered when your eyes wandered downward, the realization of your situation hitting you like a train.

"Uhh...Venom?"

The symbiote hummed.

"Can you get me down now?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok uhh lemme start off by saying im Real sorry for taking a 3 month hiatus ;v; i just lost the motivation for writing for a while, especially when i got distracted by other life stuff so writing kind of became an afterthought  
> but i do still wanna continue this fic bc i honestly love writing for venom so to those that have been waiting for an update thank you sm for being so patient with me !!


	7. keep it together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyyy new chapter !! watch out this ones a feels trip

Dark clouds pulsed with thunder overhead. The light of morning still hadn't pierced through their blanket but you guessed it was only a matter of hours until the sun's first rays would shine down upon San Francisco's streets. That's if the oncoming storm wouldn't beat it first.

You shivered, arms wrapping around your body in an attempt to wring the chill from your bones. Every muscle in your body ached, and it would've been so unbearable you swore you could collapse if it weren't for Venom's endurance keeping you steady. You looked down at your feet, the fact that you had bolted from the lab in nothing but a worn out hospital gown barely beginning to register with you. You glanced around, suddenly grateful for the desolate hour so rarely seen in such a big city.

Passing by a closed store, you caught your reflection in the glass. A grimace twisted your face. Your hair was beyond disheveled, not to mention in dire need of a wash. Your eyes were bloodshot, accented by the dark bags that hung just below them. You sighed, walking away in disdain.

**Your appearance is the least of our worries, you know**

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten we're _definitely_ being tracked down by those creepy fucks from the lab." you groaned. "I mean look at us, I might as well have a giant target on my back! _Oh,_ _wait_."

**You** **have** **me**

"Yeah, nothing like an 8-foot wall of alien muscle to hide in plain sight. Real subtle."

Venom settled, growing quiet in the back of your mind. But it wasn't the same quiet that would fill the gaps of silence between conversation where there was nothing more to say. They were observing. Flashes of images that you realized were your surroundings filled your brain - eyes adapted to low light filtering through the dim-lit sidewalks and into the various shops you happened to pass by. It was almost like having eyes on the back of your head. It _literally_ was like having eyes on the back of your head.

Soon enough, the images had also settled. And for a moment you were confused, continuing to walk without a word of the strange occurrence. Until suddenly you felt something crawl beneath the gown. You skidded to a stop, looking down at yourself as you saw Venom's signature inky black substance cover parts of your body.

"Hey, what are you -?"

You watched with disbelief as Venom solidified, their gooey flesh shaping itself into recognizable shapes that you soon realized were clothes. In a matter of seconds, black pants and a simple black shirt appeared on your body beneath the gown. You were at a loss for words.

**Better?**

"Y - You can just..?"

**My** **dear** **vessel,** **hiding** **in** **plain** **sight** **is** **what** **I** **was** **made** **for**

"Don't call me that." you said as you pulled the gown off your form, crumpling it into a ball and tossing it into a nearby trashcan. "But..thanks. I guess."

Your attention abruptly shifted to the sky as the first drops of rain hit your face. Your attempts to shield yourself were in vain as a clap of thunder heralded harder rainfall, and you ducked under a building's canopy that barely provided enough dry space.

Before you had the chance to complain, you felt Venom move again, the same viscous slime running over your "shirt" and covering your arms. In the blink of an eye you were met with a black hoodie.

"You sure know how to stick to an aesthetic."

**What** **can** **I** **say,**   **black** **is** **my** **color**

 

~~

 

A thick silence filled the lab like churning water, and Dora Skirth was sure she would drown.

She had seen Drake cross before, but this was different. Even the air around them was charged with dormant energy waiting to burst. He uncrossed his arms, unclenching his jaw as his gaze shifted from nowhere to her. She was loathe to admit her hands were shaking, and in attempt to hide it she wrung them, eyes straining to focus on anything other than the man standing across from her. She had already counted the various containers and test tubes that sat on the shelves behind him twice over, but there was nowhere else to turn to.

"I've just been.. _troubled_...by what we've been doing."

Drake nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I get it. _I_ _get_ _it_. We've all been troubled, it's the nature of what we do." He leaned against a desk, suddenly looking uncharacteristically weary. "But I need you to tell me how your charge managed to escape under your supervision."

Skirth shook her head, visibly uncomfortable as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. "I-I can't - I have no idea."

"Men _died_ because of your mistake. Good men. We can't fix this unless we begin with your patient. Because they're going to die. All because of you." He took a step closer. "They _will_ die unless we bring them back here, where you can help keep them alive."

She stepped back, shoulders tensing when she hit the surface of a wall. Drake continued walking until he closed the gap between them, stopping within mere inches of the woman's face. Her blood ran cold.

"Dora, I promise - from here on in - we'll do things differently. That’s what you want, isn’t it? You just have to trust me."

Her eyes wandered to her feet, fingers suddenly entangling themselves with each other once more. She gulped, biting the inside of her cheek. Her nails dug so deep into the palms of her hands she was sure she would draw blood.

“It was me.”

Drake’s eyebrows raised, but still held a skeptical disbelief.

“I-I let them out. It wasn’t their fault, just.. _please_ don’t hurt them.”

Her mind cringed when she flinched at the feeling of Drake’s hand on her shoulder, fingers digging through her lab coat and into her skin. Looking into his eyes, a cold chill ran down her spine. A thin, small smile replaced Drake’s stern expression but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“Oh, Dora,” Skirth looked away. As Drake stepped away, the door to the room opened, and a man in a similar white coat to Skirth’s stepped in. In his hands was the handle of a cart, a large transparent tube on its surface. Skirth could feel her heart beat through her chest, and a jolt of fear paralyzed her every muscle.

“You were never a good liar.”

Within the tube was a deep indigo substance, roiling in on itself in an infinite loop.

“But, you were our best.” Drake flicked his head toward the symbiote as he walked out. He was as calm as the silence before a storm. “Open it.”

As the tank’s glass retreated with a cold, distant hiss, Skirth stumbled backward only to find herself in a corner.

“N-No..no!”

A look of pure fear twisted her features as she bolted for the exit, nearly tripping over herself before the door closed at the last moment. The sound of its lock clicking ringing through her ears like a death sentence.

She turned around, finding the symbiote staring right back at her with nonexistent eyes. In the seconds before the alien lunged at her, she screamed.

 

~~

 

Rolling up the sleeves of your hoodie, you yawned, leaning back against the cold metal of a dumpster as the first rays of the sun hit your face. Folding your arms behind your head, you looked up at the sky.

Although you finally escaped the prison that was the Life Foundation, you didn’t feel free. If anything, you felt even more trapped, and though you hated admitting it, Drake was right. What were you going to do? You were sure you had long since lost the lease on your apartment, and there were no friends - no _family_ \- that would even think about letting you stay for a night. Unless....no. No. You hit your head softly against the metal behind you, growling in frustration. This is exactly what he would want, you could practically see the smug look on his face. But you promised yourself you would never go back to him. No matter what.

But what else was there to do. It wasn’t just you that was in danger, there was -

**Are** **you** **alright?**

Venom’s voice was soft, cutting through the white noise like a knife through butter.

You sighed, smiling sadly. “I..No, I’m not.”

**This** **man,**   **he** **can** **help** **us, can** **he** **not?**

You cringed, not wanting to think about him any more than you had to. “No - well, yes _and_ no.” Your hands curled into fists, clenching and unclenching. “It’s complicated.”

**It’s** **better** **than** **nothing**

“Venom, you don’t -“ you sighed, distracting yourself with loose pieces of gravel. “You don’t know him, he’s...he’s something else.” you whispered, flicking a rock at a brick wall.

Your jaw clenched, inhaling deeply. “Can we talk about something else? Please?”

Out of nowhere, your hoodie seemed warmer, comfortably snug against your body like a firm hug. A low rumble that you could swear sounded like a purr reverberated in your head. You closed your eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

**What** **for?**

“...Everything.” If you could fold your arms closer to your body, you would’ve. “I wanted to get us out of this mess but..why does it feel like I’ve just made it worse?”

A small tendril spiraled from your hoodie, twisting and reshaping itself into a smaller version of Venom’s disembodied head.

“ **You** **couldn’t** **have** **known**.”

“I know but..still.” Your mind went back to the grotesque forms of Venom’s companions, their lifeless bodies pooled at the bottom of their tanks. It made your skin crawl just thinking about it. “Whatever your intentions were, you deserved better. You all did.”

Venom became silent, a passive rumble echoing through your chest. You turned to the side, mind lost in the oncoming bustle of passerby. You hugged your knees close to your body.

"You said there were some missing. Did you...know them?"

**Somewhat. One**   **of** **them** **was** **what** **you** **would** **call** **a** **team** **leader. They** **were** **called** **Riot**

"They sound lovely." you said with a sarcastic drawl. "What'd they look like? If they escaped I could keep an eye out."

**Big. Gray. Kind** **of** **a** **dick. You** **can't** **miss** **them**

You snorted, the first genuine bout of humor you registered in what felt like forever.

"I'll keep that in mind." you said with a faint smile.

**Author's Note:**

> as per usual you can find me on tumblr @ takenbytheweeds so feel free to drop by and yell at me


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